Founded in 1982 by Gerry Whent, Ernest Harrison, the British telecommunications group Vodafone is present in several African countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Congo, Tanzania, Mozambique, Kenya and Ghana through its local subsidiaries. The cell phone operator based in Newbury, England, wants to improve its environmental footprint on the continent by strengthening the sustainable management of electronic waste.
To do this, Vodafone plans to set up a scheme to increase the number of mobile devices reused or recycled. According to the group, the initiative will offer its customers rapid assistance and repair services, the establishment of an online site where users exchange their old phones. In the long term, it will encourage customers to recycle their phones and purchase refurbished smartphones.
According to the Global E-waste Monitor, Africa recorded 2.9 million tons of electronic waste in 2020 alone. Of this amount, Egypt generates 586,000 tons or a record 20%.
Reducing the impact of e-waste
In 2020, the Vodafone Group’s subsidiary in Egypt set up a center for the collection, recycling and disposal of e-waste (old computers, TVs, cell phones, etc.) across the country for safe recycling. The operation initiated jointly with the government is called “e-Tadweer”, as well as the mobile application made available to Egyptian users.
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“The next frontier of our planet’s strategy is now focused on building a circular economy for consumers and industry through its own actions and in collaboration with partners developing innovative programs that can address the growing e-waste challenge,” says Joakim Reiter, Vodafone Group’s director of external and corporate affairs.
Benoit-Ivan Wansi